Shank for boots and shoes



P. P. BUREN & W. w. PENTO-N 'Shank'for Boots and Shoes.

Patented April 13,1880.

N;PETERS, FHOTO-UTHOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON D C UNITED STATES PATENT Orrrce- SHANK FOR BOOTS AND SHOES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent 1T0. 226,486, dated April 13, 1880.

Application filed October 14, 1879.

To all whom "it may concern Be it known that we, FIELDING PETER BIT-- REN and WILLIAM WALLACE FENTON, of Quincy, in the county of Adams and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shanks forBoots and Shoes;

and we do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, and in which- Figure 1 is a plan or top view of a shank 1 5 embodying our improvement. Fig. 2 is a similar view, representing a somewhat modified construction and Fig. 3 is a side elevation.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

This invention has relation to shanks for boots and shoes; and it consists in the combination of two curved springs of different stifl ness with a flexible connecting piece or link, pivoted at one end of the springs in such a 2 5 manner that their opposite free ends may be adjusted to conform to the width of the sole, substantially as hereinafter more fully set forth.

In the drawings, A B are the two parts or pieces which compose the shank, one of which,

0 B, that goes on the inside of the foot, is shaped to fit the inside curvature of this, while the other piece, A, is made to fit the outside of the foot, and is consequently less curved, but is either thicker or wider, so as to give it greater strength and rigidity to enable it to Withstand the greater pressure on the outside of the foot in walking.

Springs A and B are hinged or connected together flexibly at the heel end either by two short strips of metal, a b, as shown in Fig. 1, which are riveted loosely together at 0, or by a single wire .or piece of soft metal, as shown at d, Fig. 2, so as to permit of the adjustment of the two parts A B according to the width and shape of the last.

6 e are the holes for fastening the shank in the boot.

Having thus described our invention, we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States- A shank for boots and shoes, composed of two parts or pieces,'A B, of different rigidity and curvature, united flexibly at the heel end by an intermediate link to admit of their adjustment, and provided with holes 0 c for their attachment to the sole, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our own we have hereto affixed our signatures in presence of two Witnesses. 

